88 THE NATURE OF ANIMAL LIGHT 



• extinguishing a piece of Coal by treading upon it) , 

 I could not find that such a Compression as I 

 could conveniently give without losing sight of 

 its operation, would put out, or much injure the 

 Light, even of small Fragments of shining 

 Wood. . . . 



2. The next Unlikeness to be taken notice of betwixt 



rotten Wood and a kindled Coal is, that the latter 

 will, in a very few Minutes, be totally extinguished 

 by the withdrawing of the Air; whereas a Piece 

 of shining Wood, being eclipsed by the Absence 

 of the Air, and kept so for a Time, will immedi- 

 ately recover its Light if the Air be let in upon it 

 again within half an hour after it was first 

 withdrawn. . . . 



3. The next Difference to be mentioned is, that a live 



Coal, being put into a small close Glass, will not 

 continue to hum for very many Minutes; but a 

 Piece of shining Wood will continue to shine for 

 soniie whole Bays. . . . 



4. A fourth Difference may be this: that whereas a 



Coal, as it burns, sends forth Store of Smoke or 

 Exhalations, luminous Wood does not so. » 



5. A fifth, flowing from the former, is, that whereas a 



Coal in shining wastes itself at a great Rate, 

 shining Wood does not. . . . 



6. The last Difference I shall take notice of betwixt 



the bodies hitherto compared is, that a quick Coal 

 is actually and vehemently hot ; whereas I have 

 not observed shining Wood to be so much as sen- 

 sibly lukewarm." 



